NYSCATE Metro Conference 2009
Moving Forward by Bridging the Gaps! To me the entire event was meant to re-energize and regroup. Personnell able to attend were afforded the opportunity to reflect on current progressess made with respect to how technology supports district student and staff in the educational process. Speakers content once again reminded us of the goals: to produce capable students able to move past the use of technology as an entertainment medium and focus on applying technology skills towards their efforts to become self-directed leaders versed in taking initiative, students capable of using technological tools to enhance research, inquiry, and critical thinking, and ultimately students that become professionals in the global work place empowered to use and apply technology naturally in meeting what ever demand may come across their desk.
The workshops i was able to attend included: The way forward—Dr. Tech-Yuan Wan
The hidden path transformative change---Pete Reilly
One to one computing—Pete Reilly
Doing more with less bridging the gap between 19tha nd 21st century technology skills—Caryn Michaeli/lee digeorge
Using Virtual worlds in education- Cathy Norton-barker Cornell
Webworlds interactive session on Moodle - The (almost entirely) paperless high school classroom
Each of the workshops helped to bring clarity to the future needs and possiblities we have with technology in the educational workplace. I began to visualize the "next big step" in the technology progress for our district. I could see obstacle like "accessibility" needing to be addressed. I saw tools that could bring cohesiveness to our current efforts to bridge the "digital divide". i became aware of how technology and general professional development can no longer be look at separately if we are to reach the standards with our teachers.
Here is a summary of what took place in each workshop that Chris Lynch attended
THE HIDDEN PATH TO TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE--PETE REILLY
Mr. Reilly was great! He demonstrated just how powerful self-reflection can be.
DEFINE VERY CLEARY EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT CHANGE
- no fluff..just clear concise statement
LIST THE OBSTACLES TO MAKING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO PRODUCE
- identify points of conflict
CREATE A NARRATIVE THAT EMPOWERS
- your moving forward statement must be positive in nature, "what we can do"
- agreement must come with commitment
- take ownership of your part
LEARN WHAT YOUR IDENTITY IS WITH COLLEAGUES AND THOSE YOU LEAD
- get a "coach", means find a colleague you trust to give your a fair but concise snapshot of your pubic persona (the good the bad the ugly)
IDENTIFY THOSE CHARACTERISICE THAT WOULD HELP YOU LEAD OTHERS MORE EFFECTIVELY
- make a goal to write down one intention you want to accomplish each day. Do that intention, PRACTICE, PRACTICE PRACTICE! Trust that the process of this one daily discipline will result in a better you (over a period of time)
The essence was Change starts with you. Assess yourself..be assessed by others (compassionately) and begin being what you want to be.
ONE- TO ONE COMPUTING--PETE REILLY
SHIFTING FROM TECHNOLOGY AS ENTERTAINMENT TO TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERING SOME STATS: (system has problems)
STUDENT DROP OUT RATE NATIONALLY IS %30 (engaged?)
TEACHER DROP OUT RATE NATIONALLY IS %50 (entertainment is not working)
Comment from Mr. Reilly. The days of "I talk you listen" have produced "scripted students" that lack the skills necessary to function in the 21st century workplace. We need to move from the "sharing the pencil' and the "many watching one" model into the "Performance" or empowered model if we are ever to reach the goals of 21st Century skills: People who can take initiative and are self-directed in reaching a goal. Capable of adapting to the need and flexible enough to transfer skills learned in one area to solve problems in a different area. Aware of responsibilities and experienced in leading. Accountable to others through productive efforts. able to work well within cultural and social differnces.(21st century technology standards)
Pete repeated many times..we live in a digital age..that requires accessibility to digital content, applications, and hardware "on demand" if we are to be productive and proficient in this age..before any of the higher order processing (conceptualization, application etc..) can develop the physical need must be met..ACCESS , ACCESS, ACCESS is key to empowerment
1 laptop per student
server based application deployment (virtualization)
remote access to school resources
internet access (cloud computing
internal access (wireless needs)
slow down the replacement of desktop units
reduce energy consumption
reduce costs
Moodle --Karrie Anne Vitti
WOW!! talk about 21st century empowerment!!
imagine...one place where students and teachers meet and everything in the classroom is able to be done online! What do I mean?
MOODLEROOMS! Here are some features.
individual logons
on-line testing and scoring (paperless!)
journaling (private converstions between student and teacher)
forums/blogs (a student place for posting responses to classroom discussion or specific topics
teacher controllable on-line chatting for real-time discussions --(homework questions..etc..)
Assignment modules (place where teaches post the daily work, and students submit work, including teacher commenting and resubmissions) (paperless)
Questionairres (place for teacher to guage student buy-in, delivery methods, etc...) (paperless!)
if this was an agreed upon practice district wide..could make a huge impact..considerations are access..(see above)
Virtual Worlds with Catherine Norton-Barker--Cornell University
interesting demo..
all those who attended were assigned a computer and an avatar..(digital representation of you)
we were in the first of many available worlds that have been created by cornell staff. This world was where you learn the basics: how to change your appearance, move, look, talk, change objects, insert data ..etc...there was little direction from the teacher, and for the most part we were on our own to read the signs in our world to get the information we needed...alot of the time we (the non-digital version) shouted out to each other "wth?" "how do you do this" , many were frustrated and left..I chose to hang on because my Superintendent has a strong interest in this as a tool for reaching the "unreachable" kids.. after awhile i could talk, walk, look from different views, and change signs...
I asked what other worlds held. I was told there are construction worlds , social studies projects..science worlds, etc..
i was given a great link to see all that is available from the Cornell virtual world program. http://www.scicentr.org/
I encourage anyone interested to explore that site..
I did ask what was the difference between this and Second life (a different Virtual world site).
Catherine said there were plusses and minuses of each..Second life was very, very graphics processor intensive, and also requires an large demand on bandwitch and computer resources..the average classroom computer is not able to handle the software..( i could vouch for that, as I had tried Second life on my student computers , and my personal computer and they both crashed shortly after.) The cornell version was not graphics intensive and only required 6 mb of hard drive space..this translates that the avatars and graphics in the cornell version were of a lower quality. Both worlds have educational curricullum and both programs have contruction, social studies, science worlds within..however Cornell is a closed program, meaning not anyone can gain access (translation...safter), Anyone can access join the Second life program. The Second life program includes commerce opportunities, trading, purchasing, actually anything you can do in the real world you can do in their virtual world..anything.. The Cornell site did not have this benefit..overall i see the program as having merits, but will require professional development for the instructor.
Moving Forward by Bridging the Gaps! To me the entire event was meant to re-energize and regroup. Personnell able to attend were afforded the opportunity to reflect on current progressess made with respect to how technology supports district student and staff in the educational process. Speakers content once again reminded us of the goals: to produce capable students able to move past the use of technology as an entertainment medium and focus on applying technology skills towards their efforts to become self-directed leaders versed in taking initiative, students capable of using technological tools to enhance research, inquiry, and critical thinking, and ultimately students that become professionals in the global work place empowered to use and apply technology naturally in meeting what ever demand may come across their desk.
The workshops i was able to attend included:
The way forward—Dr. Tech-Yuan Wan
The hidden path transformative change---Pete Reilly
One to one computing—Pete Reilly
Doing more with less bridging the gap between 19tha nd 21st century technology skills—Caryn Michaeli/lee digeorge
Using Virtual worlds in education- Cathy Norton-barker Cornell
Webworlds interactive session on Moodle -
The (almost entirely) paperless high school classroom
Each of the workshops helped to bring clarity to the future needs and possiblities we have with technology in the educational workplace. I began to visualize the "next big step" in the technology progress for our district. I could see obstacle like "accessibility" needing to be addressed. I saw tools that could bring cohesiveness to our current efforts to bridge the "digital divide". i became aware of how technology and general professional development can no longer be look at separately if we are to reach the standards with our teachers.
Here is a summary of what took place in each workshop that Chris Lynch attended
THE HIDDEN PATH TO TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE--PETE REILLY
Mr. Reilly was great! He demonstrated just how powerful self-reflection can be.
- DEFINE VERY CLEARY EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT CHANGE
- no fluff..just clear concise statement- LIST THE OBSTACLES TO MAKING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO PRODUCE
- identify points of conflict- CREATE A NARRATIVE THAT EMPOWERS
- your moving forward statement must be positive in nature, "what we can do"- agreement must come with commitment
- take ownership of your part
- LEARN WHAT YOUR IDENTITY IS WITH COLLEAGUES AND THOSE YOU LEAD
- get a "coach", means find a colleague you trust to give your a fair but concise snapshot of your pubic persona (the good the bad the ugly)- make a goal to write down one intention you want to accomplish each day. Do that intention, PRACTICE, PRACTICE PRACTICE! Trust that the process of this one daily discipline will result in a better you (over a period of time)
The essence was Change starts with you. Assess yourself..be assessed by others (compassionately) and begin being what you want to be.
ONE- TO ONE COMPUTING--PETE REILLY
SHIFTING FROM TECHNOLOGY AS ENTERTAINMENT TO TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERING
SOME STATS: (system has problems)
Comment from Mr. Reilly. The days of "I talk you listen" have produced "scripted students" that lack the skills necessary to function in the 21st century workplace. We need to move from the "sharing the pencil' and the "many watching one" model into the "Performance" or empowered model if we are ever to reach the goals of 21st Century skills: People who can take initiative and are self-directed in reaching a goal. Capable of adapting to the need and flexible enough to transfer skills learned in one area to solve problems in a different area. Aware of responsibilities and experienced in leading. Accountable to others through productive efforts. able to work well within cultural and social differnces.(21st century technology standards)
Pete repeated many times..we live in a digital age..that requires accessibility to digital content, applications, and hardware "on demand" if we are to be productive and proficient in this age..before any of the higher order processing (conceptualization, application etc..) can develop the physical need must be met..ACCESS , ACCESS, ACCESS is key to empowerment
Moodle --Karrie Anne Vitti
WOW!! talk about 21st century empowerment!!
imagine...one place where students and teachers meet and everything in the classroom is able to be done online! What do I mean?
MOODLEROOMS! Here are some features.
- individual logons
- on-line testing and scoring (paperless!)
- journaling (private converstions between student and teacher)
- forums/blogs (a student place for posting responses to classroom discussion or specific topics
- teacher controllable on-line chatting for real-time discussions --(homework questions..etc..)
- Assignment modules (place where teaches post the daily work, and students submit work, including teacher commenting and resubmissions) (paperless)
- Questionairres (place for teacher to guage student buy-in, delivery methods, etc...) (paperless!)
if this was an agreed upon practice district wide..could make a huge impact..considerations are access..(see above)Virtual Worlds with Catherine Norton-Barker--Cornell University
interesting demo..
all those who attended were assigned a computer and an avatar..(digital representation of you)
we were in the first of many available worlds that have been created by cornell staff. This world was where you learn the basics: how to change your appearance, move, look, talk, change objects, insert data ..etc...there was little direction from the teacher, and for the most part we were on our own to read the signs in our world to get the information we needed...alot of the time we (the non-digital version) shouted out to each other "wth?" "how do you do this" , many were frustrated and left..I chose to hang on because my Superintendent has a strong interest in this as a tool for reaching the "unreachable" kids.. after awhile i could talk, walk, look from different views, and change signs...
I asked what other worlds held. I was told there are construction worlds , social studies projects..science worlds, etc..
i was given a great link to see all that is available from the Cornell virtual world program. http://www.scicentr.org/
I encourage anyone interested to explore that site..
I did ask what was the difference between this and Second life (a different Virtual world site).
Catherine said there were plusses and minuses of each..Second life was very, very graphics processor intensive, and also requires an large demand on bandwitch and computer resources..the average classroom computer is not able to handle the software..( i could vouch for that, as I had tried Second life on my student computers , and my personal computer and they both crashed shortly after.) The cornell version was not graphics intensive and only required 6 mb of hard drive space..this translates that the avatars and graphics in the cornell version were of a lower quality. Both worlds have educational curricullum and both programs have contruction, social studies, science worlds within..however Cornell is a closed program, meaning not anyone can gain access (translation...safter), Anyone can access join the Second life program. The Second life program includes commerce opportunities, trading, purchasing, actually anything you can do in the real world you can do in their virtual world..anything.. The Cornell site did not have this benefit..overall i see the program as having merits, but will require professional development for the instructor.
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